Dessert Day

So Konrad and I have been trying to do a "healthy life style" thing. We get points for doing certain things each day. There are 8 points available each day:

1. 15 minutes of Gospel study
2. 30 min. of exercise
3. 5 servings of fruits and/or veggies
4. flossing our teeth
5. 56 oz of water each day
6. no eating after 8:00
7. no desserts (which means no baked goods, no candy, no ice cream, etc.)
8. get at least 7 hours of sleep

We decided the no desserts thing would be too hard, so we decided we would have one day when we could eat a dessert. (which has really turned into eat as much junk as you can in one day...not so good). We would not get our point for that day BUT for any other day we ate dessert we would lose 3 points.

It's amazing that "losing" 3 imaginary points can keep you from eating a cookie or something.

Today was dessert day. We had a pot luck at church and I decided to bring some cookies. Cookie dough is my down fall, I just can't resist it. So since I hadn't had my dessert yet this week, I bit the bullet and ate some wonderful cookie dough (as well as a few baked cookies, Alli's left over cupcake at the potluck, some Amish Friendship bread, and one other bar cookie thing at the pot luck). But this wasn't just any cookie dough, this is the cookie dough of all cookie doughs. Forget chocolate chip cookie dough, forget my regular oatmeal cookie dough, forget sugar cookie dough, forget my cake mix cookie dough.

Everyone grab your keys and purse and run to the store. Buy a bag of Heath Brickle Bits (I'm pretty sure that is what they are called) and make the recipe for the oatmeal cookies that is on the back. Oatmeal, toffee bits, and coconut. HEAVEN! I made some cookie dough balls to freeze, so I could make cookies on another day...yeah, we only have 8 left...out of like 18 or so. Soooooo yummmy!!!!!!

(BTW- the cookies are pretty darn good once they are cooked as well)

You know they have too many toys when....

This is the pile of stuffed animals Kimber and Sam decided to get rid of last week. They (and a few others) were all sitting in a box (the Happy Birthday Train, from Konrad's birthday, to be exact) in the play room and I asked the girls to decide which animals would go upstairs and which would stay down in the playroom. I also threw in at the end "And if you don't play with them put them in a give-away pile". Notice I didn't force them too, didn't even stress it, just made a suggestion. (I have witnesses...my sister's were both here) In about a minute they decided they didn't need these toys anymore.

Now I am definitely not against cleaning out toys and getting rid of the ones we don't use, but I was absolutely surprised that they didn't even hesitate. I think out of the 40 or so animals that were in the box they only kept about 10 or 12. A few were Allison's so they kept them out for her. This tells me that my children have WAY too many toys. They don't even appreciate the ones they have.

If I didn't have to have preschool toys in the house, they would probably choose to get rid of most of the toys we have as well. They just don't play with toys. If anything they play Barbies (we probably have 40+ of them), Pollies (probably 50+), and baby dolls (probably 15 or so). AND they only play those maybe once or twice a month. Other than that they draw, read, play "mom", play outside, and run around the house.

I think I have Kimber convinced to save her money to buy the cute clothes and shoes she wants (that her mom is too cheap to buy) instead of wasting money on toys that she will play with for the 1st and 2nd days of owning them and then adding them to the ever-growing pile of give-aways/garage sale stuff in my room 6 months later when she decided is just isn't worth keeping.

How do we make them appreciate what they have?

I think our presents to them are going to start being swimming lessons, dance lessons, soccer seasons, family zoo passes, etc. I think they have the most fun doing those things anyways, why not give them what makes them happy rather than adding to the clutter and chaos of the untouched playroom?

Twin Falls

We went on a hike at Twin Falls State Park last Saturday. It was a great hike (we've done it before) and the girls did great. We only had to carry Alli down 2 steep down slopes, other than that they all walked/ran the entire 2 hours.

Kimber was full of poses throughout the day...such a girl!

A hollowed out tree stump

They loved throwing rocks in the river. They are excited to go back in the summer time and wade through the water to get to the "island" (Kimber calls any rock or pile of sand/dirt in water an island)

Our goal is to go hiking every Saturday there is decent weather...let us know if you want to come too.

2nd Winter Break

We had a great Mid-Winter Break!

We spent the first couple of days in Oregon, visiting my sister Michelle. Alli crashed on the way down and slept like this for almost 2 hours.

We went to Seaside Oregon with Michelle's family (and my parents who we went down with). It was a beautiful day and about 60 degrees, so not freezing.

Makenna and Allison

Sam being Sam..

Allison

Samantha built a "play ground" out of drift wood and sticks. It was complete with a slide, teeter totter and misc. climbing things.

Richard and Makenna checking out the ocean

The girls and I

Grandpa took them on the carousel (those things make me S.I.C.K.!!!!!)

Eating yummy ice cream cones

Back to the beach after eating and shopping...isn't it gorgeous? I could look at the ocean all day long and never get tired of it!

My dad made the crazy decision to let the girls walk in the water...they had fun...but

freezing cold water leads to really red body parts! They were so cold and in so much pain!
I reminded them that they made the choice to get wet, so I didn't want to see any tears! They toughed it out and survived.

We left Oregon on Tuesday, but Samantha got to stay one extra night with Michelle. Michelle decided to come up here for the rest of the week and hang out with us. We played at our park, went to Chuckee Cheese (where we witnessed a ticket-munching-machine electrical fire....from which we got 100 extra tickets :)), out to lunch and dinner, as well as just hanging out at my house.

Makenna checking out the car seat that has been sitting on our front porch...

Michelle and Natalie at the park...

Kimber swinging...

Today Darcy and I discovered a new park! Yeah! It is Steel Lake Park in Federal Way, about 5 blocks from the $2 theater. Great park and a great looking beach. We can't wait to try it all out once summer comes.

Alli playing at the park...

Kimber on the pole/rope thing...

The view of the park and beach area...

We also went and saw Bolt today, the girls seemed to really like it and only shuddered in fear a handful of times :)

We are also hosting for Youth Conference and currently have 4 - 14 year olds hanging out in the playroom, eating junk and talking. We had to take them into Seattle tonight for a dinner cruise. While they were on the cruise us and 5 other couples went to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory, it was really fun to go out with lots of people. Konrad and I tend to solo date...but it is nice to have other people to talk to and listen to.

Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful and we're hoping to squeeze a hike in.

I'm not sure I'm ready to go back to school, we're having too much fun!

Parties 1 and 2

I am exhausted. We had a fun day, but a very busy day. My inbox had 20+ emails in it people....I just don't let that happen, except on very very very busy days. :)

We had our preschool Valentine's Party today. So much fun. So fun to watch 3 and 4 year olds give out little cards and not really know why they are doing it. My "Question of the Day" to them was...Do you have a special Valentine?...most said yes and then told me about their favorite card they were handing out...that was there special Valentine. :)

I even got my own Kleenex-box-mailbox full of fun stuff. Love it!

Party one down...on to party #2. We had a mother/daughter Valentine Party tonight. Sorry we couldn't invite everyone. We had 21 ladies here...7 moms and 14 or so girls. Lots of talking, laughing, and crafting. We will be walking on and wearing glitter for the next few weeks. I was joking around and saying that my preschool foam floor is now diamond studded :) One of the girls said our house is now a mansion b/c the floor glitters. If that's all it takes I should have thrown glitter down years ago...

I didn't take one picture! I am so mad! That's typical of me though. I get too wrapped up in the party and forget to pull out the camera.

I also got to go and celebrate the 100th day of school with Kimber's class. 2nd graders crack me up. The things that come out of their mouth are so funny. Oh, I have to share an embarrassing moment for Kimber. Her teacher told me today that while he was reading to the class Kimber "passed gas". He said it was so unlike her that it took him a minute to regroup and restrain himself from laughing hysterically. He wasn't sure if Kimber would tell me about it, but she did. She said "Mom it was soooo embarrassing. It was sooooo loud (of course she mimicked the sound). It smelled soooooo bad". She also told me that even Mr. Z couldn't stop laughing and had to cover his face with the book. She didn't cry though and was able to laugh about it...which is a good sign. That could kill a girl, you know? I still remember when I sneezed and coughed at the same time one year in class. I thought I would die! :)

Sorry, I got a little random on you. Konrad has been gone all week and I've barely talked to him so I have to tell someone!

Party 3 and 4 are tomorrow! I think my girls are going to be sweeted out!

Kicking off our Valentine's Day Week

I LOVE VALENTINE'S DAY!

Konrad's mom invited us over to make and decorate cookies and cupcakes. It was a great start to our Valentine Week.

They actually stopped saying "My turn" "My turn" "My turn" and smiled for the camera.

Decorating the cupcakes, doing pretty good, not too messy yet.
Bring on the mess...

If you eat too much you might feel like this....

(she had a hard time not smiling in for this picture she was trying so hard to look miserable :))

We've got 4 more parties this week plus REAL Valentine's Day! Fun! Fun! Fun!

Notes to self...

1. don't bathe children before decorating cookies...defeats the purpose! :)

2. Also, all sprinkle containers should have the little plastic tops with teeny holes in it...an open mouthed sprinkle bottle is not a great idea!

3. too much sugar at bedtime really does cause children to jump around like crazy people.

4. there is no use trying to get-the-most-cookies-out-of-the-rolled-out-dough when baking with children, just let them have at it. Everyone (Samantha) will be much happier!

Happy 32nd Birthday Konrad

Konrad turned 32 yesterday...


The family came over for dinner, presents, and chocolate lush. YUM!

Trying out a new present (needed for his p90x workout system)The girls and their surprise. The had this all thought out. The got it all ready (meaning made the sign and filled the box with stuffed animals...like 50+ of them), hid it in Alli's room, and were soooo excited to surprise Konrad with the "Birthday Train". They just pushed it down the stairs...pretty exciting! :)

My camera has issues when trying to capture a birthday cake scene.

Happy Birthday Konrad!

My Girls the Chickens

I took the girls to see The Tale of Despareaux (sp). We almost had to walk out because they were almost in tears. Somehow we made it out alive. How come some 5 year olds can watch scary movies...I've seen them at Harry Potter and such...but my 3 children can't sit through rated G movies, without nearing a panic attack?

I can't think of the last movie we watched that all three of them didn't end up sitting in my lap and/or laying with their faces in my arms.

I wonder when they'll toughen up????